Side pipe car
10-27-2018, 10:14 AM
#22
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Show me one original tank sticker or any factory documentation to back up the claim that a car came off the assembly line with side pipes in 1968 and I will believe it.
It seems every 68 with a claim of "From the factory as built with original sidepipes" never seems to have the documentation to back it up. Just stories. "I once saw this or that", "Some guy said this", "I owned one at one time but its gone". Always the same. Any 68 can be made to look like it had side pipes as original equipment if you know what to modify. Did GM make only a handful of "correct" rear side pipe lower valance panels for the 68 with the reverse lights? Do you think they would have spent the money and tooled up a fiberglass piece for just a few cars and not told anyone? Who would know to order it? It wasn't on the original retail order forms. In 69 side pipes were not available until January. I have heard there were some early 69 cars before January built with them but still have not seen a genuine tank sticker to prove that either. That makes the chances of late 68 cars built with them even less.
Prominent Chevrolet dealership employees are not good witnesses. I have never taken my cars to the dealer for service. I wouldn't trust them to fix a flat tire. I certainly wouldn't believe the majority of them would know much about indentifying original equipment on a 68.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Someone show me a tank sticker. Not saying they CAN'T exist. But I want some real proof. Not stories.
It seems every 68 with a claim of "From the factory as built with original sidepipes" never seems to have the documentation to back it up. Just stories. "I once saw this or that", "Some guy said this", "I owned one at one time but its gone". Always the same. Any 68 can be made to look like it had side pipes as original equipment if you know what to modify. Did GM make only a handful of "correct" rear side pipe lower valance panels for the 68 with the reverse lights? Do you think they would have spent the money and tooled up a fiberglass piece for just a few cars and not told anyone? Who would know to order it? It wasn't on the original retail order forms. In 69 side pipes were not available until January. I have heard there were some early 69 cars before January built with them but still have not seen a genuine tank sticker to prove that either. That makes the chances of late 68 cars built with them even less.
Prominent Chevrolet dealership employees are not good witnesses. I have never taken my cars to the dealer for service. I wouldn't trust them to fix a flat tire. I certainly wouldn't believe the majority of them would know much about indentifying original equipment on a 68.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Someone show me a tank sticker. Not saying they CAN'T exist. But I want some real proof. Not stories.
I have an experience where Y wont talk to me anymore because i asked about names, tracks, documents, a provenance anything besides a mystery guys vauge story Y's 68 wide body is a half million dollar euro racer as he put it.
I have read magazine stories with documents this or that one of a kind slipped out of the factory and into private hands but never were they c3 corvettes,
It seems it just didnt happen much or at all with c3s
Ed, do you ( or anyone here ) know of a one off out of the factory c3 with paperwork to prove it?
It would be really cool if in this case a 68 came out the factory door with side pipes but me, ill fall back on occams razor and believe it was created later on by an owner....
10-27-2018, 12:26 PM
#23
Melting Slicks
Blunt but well said,
I have an experience where Y wont talk to me anymore because i asked about names, tracks, documents, a provenance anything besides a mystery guys vauge story Y's 68 wide body is a half million dollar euro racer as he put it.
I have read magazine stories with documents this or that one of a kind slipped out of the factory and into private hands but never were they c3 corvettes,
It seems it just didnt happen much or at all with c3s
Ed, do you ( or anyone here ) know of a one off out of the factory c3 with paperwork to prove it?
It would be really cool if in this case a 68 came out the factory door with side pipes but me, ill fall back on occams razor and believe it was created later on by an owner....
I have an experience where Y wont talk to me anymore because i asked about names, tracks, documents, a provenance anything besides a mystery guys vauge story Y's 68 wide body is a half million dollar euro racer as he put it.
I have read magazine stories with documents this or that one of a kind slipped out of the factory and into private hands but never were they c3 corvettes,
It seems it just didnt happen much or at all with c3s
Ed, do you ( or anyone here ) know of a one off out of the factory c3 with paperwork to prove it?
It would be really cool if in this case a 68 came out the factory door with side pipes but me, ill fall back on occams razor and believe it was created later on by an owner....
The only info I am aware of with regard to any C3 is what is already out there. Also, I only really paid attention to 69's, but that includes knowing only 69 had the side exhaust.
When it comes to C3's it seems GM kept very good records of what and how many were made of each car. Not much has ever been in doubt. What gets confusing is proving today that any given car is being represented as what GM built it as. For example, GM says they built two ZL1's in 1969. But GM doesn't have records of what the VINs of those cars are. So when a ZL1 shows up, it can not be verified unless it has rock solid documents. Then you have to trust somebody to tell you that those documents are in fact original and not reproed. Many people still can not tell the difference between real and fake docs as well as real and fake engine/part stamps.
I do not know of a single one-off special built C3 from GM that came with documents with the exception of one L88 that was ordered without the J56 brakes. That's not really a special one off, but rather just a specific order for a customer who felt it would perform better in certain race conditions.
Here is a list of things that people claim for 69 and I have yet to see LEGITIMATE GM DOCUMENTED proof of:
F41 suspension ON SOMETHING other than an L71 or L88
Sidepipes on a car built before January 1969 (I believe this is possible just waiting to see a tank sticker, window sticker, etc)
J56 on any car other than an L88
M22 on any 68/69 car other than an L88
10-29-2018, 04:49 AM
#24
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Thanks ed 
What i have seen more times than i can count is a dealer modification that the owner swears is factory, no paperwork just they know its a rare factory car and i am just a moron for doubting them.
What i have seen more times than i can count is a dealer modification that the owner swears is factory, no paperwork just they know its a rare factory car and i am just a moron for doubting them.
10-29-2018, 12:51 PM
#25
4th Gear
bikesnbroadhead,
I appreciate your advice you provided Friday, but I'm having a heck of a time finding the fiber gasket/insulator you referenced. Can you provide a bit more detail such as purchased site, part number, etc?
Much appreciated
I appreciate your advice you provided Friday, but I'm having a heck of a time finding the fiber gasket/insulator you referenced. Can you provide a bit more detail such as purchased site, part number, etc?
Much appreciated